City comparison
Plano, TX versus Denver, CO is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,841 a month in Plano and $1,831 in Denver, and median household income lands at $112,253 versus $94,718. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Plano takes job market and safety, while Denver takes affordability and weather. The widest gap is crime index, where Plano leads by 77% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.
Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Plano can feel further apart than Plano and Denver do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Plano and Denver reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Plano, TX
Denver, CO
Rent
1% cheaper
Denver rent is 1% cheaper than Plano
Plano
$1,841/mo
Denver
Winner$1,831/mo
Typical rent runs $1,831 a month in Denver versus $1,841 in Plano, so Denver is 1% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $10, or $120 a year — noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Median income
19% higher
Plano's median income is 19% higher than Denver
Plano
Winner$112,253
Denver
$94,718
Median household income is $112,253 in Plano versus $94,718 in Denver, so typical pay runs 19% higher in Plano — about $17,535 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Plano is the stronger labor market on paper. Denver can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
77% lower crime
Plano's crime index is 77% lower than Denver
Plano
Winner32 (100 = avg)
Denver
137 (100 = avg)
Plano's crime index is 32 versus 137 in Denver (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 77% lower in Plano. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Plano is the easier city. Denver can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
School scores
Neck and neck
Plano and Denver are about even on school scores.
Plano
A- · 84/100
Denver
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Plano, A- in Denver). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.
Typical weather
51% more comfortable
Denver weather is 51% more comfortable than Plano
Plano
89°F typical
Denver
Winner78°F typical
Denver scores 51% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 89°F in Plano and 78°F in Denver. Plano reads as hot, long summers; Denver reads as warm weather most of the year. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Denver is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Plano can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Plano is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 19% higher here ($112,253). Start with Plano if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Plano is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 77% lower than Denver (32 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Denver is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 1% cheaper here at about $1,831 a month. Choose Denver if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Pick Denver if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (78°F) beat Plano on this page's weather index by 51%. Plano may pay more or cost less, but Denver is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Bottom line
If safety is your priority, Plano is the clear choice.
If weather matters more to you, Denver pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Denver offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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